Hand dryers have appealing qualities for a number of different markets. If a patron enters the restroom and sees an empty towel dispenser, he will be less likely to wash his hands. Hand dryers ensure this won’t happen — a great benefit during this time of H1N1 pandemic.

Empty dispensers are most common in high-traffic facilities such as stadiums, restaurants, amusement parks, museums, airports and train stations, which is why these buildings turn to hand dryers. With so many people using the restroom, towel supply is quickly depleted and these facilities don’t have the staff — or budget — to continually refill dispensers.

Schools are another market ripe for hand dryers. Towels can be tempting for students to vandal restrooms by clogging sinks and toilets. Also, as schools reduce their cleaning budgets, it may be harder to staff day porters to constantly restock dispensers.